5 things to know before the stock market opens Friday

5 things to know before the stock market opens Friday

1. Stocks are set to open higher as stimulus talks resume, againA pedestrian outside the New York Stock Exchange in New York, July 29, 2020.Wang Ying | Xinhua News Agency | Getty ImagesDow futures pointed to a 100 point gain at Friday's open as investors sought clarity around whether another round of coronavirus economic relief was still possible before next month's election. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 122 points or 0.4% on Thursday, reaching its highest level in a month on stimulus hopes. The S&P 500 rose 0.8%. The Nasdaq increased 0.5%. Ahead of Friday trading, all three benchmarks were tracking for strong weekly gains. The Dow and S&P 500 were each about 3.8% away from their record highs on Feb. 12 and Sept. 2, respectively. The Nasdaq